Re-Visiting Michael After the 25th

By: Efrain Talamantes

We drove back to Los Angeles, it's on the way back home to San Diego. We decided that we rest for a bit and re-visit Forest Lawn after the 25th. The grounds are so beautiful there and I really want to view the place. But since it was late, I thought I drive her over to  Holly Terrace and we see Michael again. I thought it would be good to just sit there and pray and just look over this magnificent place. 

There were a few fans there and cars coming and going. The flowers and all the beautiful art work that Maggie had photographed last weekend - were now all gone. That was normal I suppose. I was told they only keep things there for 6 days and then they're thrown out. I asked about the priceless art etc. All that was said -We normally would keep it for 6 days. But other family members of the people laid to rest here with Michael were coming, so we had to clean things up. What we felt was important makes it back to the mother of the deceased, not everything though. It's too overwhelming for her. The children don't see these things unless the grandmother wishes for them to see it. For her it's heartbreaking.

The roses, only a handful of buckets were still left to the side where the bench were. Most of the rose now were dead. The roses struggling to survive were still in the original buckets. There was a woman with a water pitcher filling these buckets the roses with water so these roses wouldn't die. She stated that someone keeps draining the water out of the. I find that hard to believe. It's been hot and with that many roses in a bucket, it's natural the water and the weather will draw it up and leave them dry after awhile.

Suddenly she seen this fan taking some roses from the garbage. She wanted some of the petals to keep. Well this so call water lady ripped began scolding her for, as she put it, "stealing" the roses. Yet if they are roses in the garbage pail, they could if they want take the petals to save them.
I watched as the two of them bickered on and on about some lady stealing roses earlier and the memory books and putting them under her T-shirt. Claiming the people were from UK. She said it was desecrating the memory of Michael etc. ( That's true if this is what truly happened.)

Maggie, in the meantime, had been putting a small poster she made and placed it against some sun flowers there. Taking her usual photos of what was left there. Then the water lady started in on her. That's when a female guard drove up.
She had to deal with some business inside of Michael's tomb. She heard the whining and told her and the rest of us that this is "not" the place for this type of nonsense. It's disrespectful to those resting here. Unfair. That she was fed up with the antics fans have been doing over the months, sneaking into Forest Lawn in the middle of the night, sleeping with Michael at the door, cleaning the place, and also sneaking into the back of the place, lying and saying their relative is in there. Camera's luckily caught this before it went to far. She began yelling at all of us. It's your own damn fault you cannot visit Michael inside. None of you know how to behave and act civilized.

You could see this guard was upset and didn't mean it for those of us there, she was just stating what she though and felt since she began working there and what she witnessed at night.

Meantime, she had to get inside because someone was once again trying to sneak into the back of Michael's resting place. She was angry because she had to get this person breaking in and it was just the beginning of her night shift. There should be some electric gate placed around this place where if someone did try and break in, well they'd be zapped.

I didn't want to hear the gossip or ramblings of what this person did or that person. I didn't go there for this. I wanted to just sit quietly and think. I love talking to people if they're polite and behave and not go off on a tangent on things that I've heard a zillion times.
Some say there isn't a difference between some folk, meaning the people who come from Europe and the ones here locally. Oh I see a huge difference. The ones from Europe go through great extents to present work that is meaningful. They speak about Michael as if he is part of their family and discuss intelligently the case that is pending.

The local ones from all over that come to visit, they're sometimes on the fence, some are dedicated, while others just want to see. Plus there are many who just joined the bandwagon to see what the true ones loved so much. Let's not forget too that there are many haters trying to break into the barriers as well to destroy what's left.

Maggie was speaking to a few girls from Germany, they had been in California for three weeks. They're planning the next trip and wish to stay longer to be at the pending trial. The spoke seriously on what they think happened and why and who should be punished etc. It was nice listening to them. I agreed that this so call Doctor was a pasty for whomever he was paid by to murder Michael. That's a given.

It's was going on 6 PM and the place was closing. Some folks remained, to discuss what the next hearing. I was amazed at how some spend so much money traveling here for a hearing that can be frustrating and only last an hour. Evidence that is suppose to have been already discussed and ready for trial is still being debated on.

I won't comment or make my personal opinions ; I will however say it's a pity the unity is somehow spoiled by a few bad apples. It's a shame the show of love doesn't remain, not just on June 25th, but all year long.

To say anything further would just make me look bad. So I'll end it here. We will come back to Forest Lawn tomorrow just to observe the beauty and art of the magnificent spread that Michael rests in. I did find out one interesting tidbits. That since Michael has been laid to rest here. Plots for people to rest in has risen and so have the prices as well. Also Michael had family resting in the older Forest Lawn Cemetery, but couldn't be laid to rest there due to his large following and this news was interesting to learn about.